Hidden Disabilities Sunflower rollout across at Hotel Group portfolio
at Hotel Group is strengthening its commitment to accessible and inclusive hospitality, rolling out the globally recognised Hidden Disabilities initiative and training its teams to better recognise and support guests with non-visible disabilities.
The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower provides a discreet way for people with nonvisible disabilities to indicate that they may need additional time, support or understanding. As part of the rollout, at Hotel Group is undertaking dedicated Hidden Disabilities Sunflower training across its teams. The training is designed to build awareness of what the Sunflower represents and help employees respond confidently, respectfully and appropriately when a guest may require additional support.
The initiative builds on significant accessibility work already undertaken by at Hotel Group to make travel easier and more inclusive at every stage of the guest journey. Following grant funding from the Queensland Government, at Hotel Group worked with Cérge to introduce a suite of accessible pre-arrival resources designed to help guests better understand and prepare for their stay. These resources include Know Before You Go guides, audio guides, visual stories, sensory guides and virtual tours, giving guests access to important information about a property and the experience they can expect before they arrive.
The introduction of Hidden Disabilities Sunflower complements this work by extending accessibility beyond information and pre-arrival planning and into the everyday interactions guests have with hotel teams.
Nicole Campbell, Director of Sales & Marketing at Hotel Group, said the initiative represented an important next step in the Group’s accessibility journey. “Hospitality is about making people feel genuinely welcome, and that means recognising that not every disability or additional need is visible. The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program complements that work beautifully. We’re now strengthening the human side of accessibility by giving our teams greater awareness and confidence to recognise when someone may need additional time, patience, support or understanding. Together, these initiatives help us create a more inclusive guest journey, from researching and planning a stay through to arriving at the hotel and interacting with our teams.”
The commitment also reflects at Hotel Group’s aim to embed accessibility into everyday hospitality, rather than viewing it as an additional service provided only when requested. By combining accessible pre-arrival information and digital resources with greater awareness and training among hotel teams, the Group is working to remove some of the uncertainty guests may experience when travelling and create environments where more people feel welcomed, understood and supported.
